M23 given ultimatum: Withdraw and halt violence or face the regional forces

Leaders who attended the joint mini summit between the EAC and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region in Luanda, Angola on November 23, 2022. They are, from left, Ms Michelle Ndiaye, former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, Angolan President João Lourenço, Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye among others. PHOTO | COURTESY

LUANDA, Angola - The M23 rebel group has been demanded to stop the attacks in the Democratic Republic of Congo, withdraw from conquered areas by Friday this week and give dialogue a chance.

This was the ultimatum message from the first-ever joint mini-summit between the East African Community and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in Luanda, specifically seeking to tackle the DRC crisis.

“If the M23 rebel group refuses to disengage and liberate all the territories they currently occupy, the heads of state of the East African Community will instruct the regional forces to use force to make them submit.” Reads part of the Luanda mini-summit communiqué.

The meeting which was chaired by President João Lourenço and other EAC heads of state in Luanda-Angola also agreed that once the M23 rebel withdraws from the areas then the Kenyan contingent of the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) can be deployed as security guards of installations and protect civilians.

As per the mini-summit communiqué “During the disengagement and withdrawal of the M23 to its initial positions, Kenya will deploy its contingents to Goma, then Bunagana, Rutshuru, Kiwandja. These territories are currently under M23 control, except for Goma and part of Rutshuru.

The leaders also agreed to set up disarmament and cantonment of the M23 rebels in Congolese territory under the control of the FARDC, the regional force, and the ad hoc verification mechanism, with the collaboration of Monusco.

The Luanda mini-summit further demanded that all foreign armed groups operating on Congolese soil, notably FDLR-FOCA, RED TABARA, ADF, and others lay down their arms immediately and undertake their unconditional repatriation.

They specifically asked for “the cessation of hostilities in general, and in particular, the attacks by the M23 against the FARDC and Monusco as of Friday 25 November at 6 pm,” the communique added, referring to the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC.

They gathered in Luanda “to establish a timetable for the implementation of priority actions, with a view to the cessation of hostilities and the immediate withdrawal of the M23 from occupied Congolese localities and the coordination of the Luanda and Nairobi processes”.

The Angolan president has been leading what is called the Luanda track, meant to iron out differences between Rwanda and DRC, in which the Rwandan government has been accused of supporting M23 rebels. But the Luanda track has now merged with the Nairobi process, pushed by the EAC to have armed groups in the DRC lay down arms.

The Wednesday meeting was also attended by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi, Burundi's President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who is the chairman of the East African community, and former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, who is mediating the Congolese conflict on behalf of the East African region.

Rwanda was represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Vincent Biruta. Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission and Head of the African Union Liaison Office in the DRC Michelle Ndiaye, Executive Secretary of ICGLR João Samuel Caholo, and Commander of the Ad Hoc Verification Mechanism Lt-Gen Nassone João also attended the meeting as guests.

This meeting came nearly a week after President Paul Kagame promised facilitator Uhuru Kenyatta he will assist in prevailing upon M23 to stop fighting, even though Rwanda denies supporting the group.

GAROWE ONLINE